USF x TGH Innovation Healthcare Pitch Competition

2026 USF x TGH Innovation Healthcare Pitch Competition

Healthcare doesn’t need another class project.
It needs solutions that can survive inside a hospital.

The 2026 USF x TGH Innovation Healthcare Pitch Competition invites bold Florida students to develop scalable, real-world healthcare solutions in collaboration with Tampa General Hospital’s Innovation Center.

This is your opportunity to pitch inside one of Florida’s leading academic health systems — where innovation is tested, validated, and implemented.

If you’re building something that improves patient care, operational efficiency, access, or health technology… this is your stage.

Why This Competition Is Different

You will pitch at the TGH Innovation Center, a hub dedicated to accelerating clinical innovation, digital health solutions, and venture collaboration within one of the region’s top hospitals.

Through this partnership, you gain:

  • Exposure to hospital innovation leaders and healthcare executives
  • Feedback grounded in real clinical and operational challenges
  • Insight into how healthcare systems evaluate new technologies
  • Access to mentors who understand regulatory, reimbursement, and implementation realities
  • The opportunity to position your idea for real-world application

This is healthcare innovation inside the system — not outside of it.

application details

All entries must be submitted by: April 3, 2026
Pitch and award ceremony: Friday, April 17, 2026,  12-4 p.m.

*All Students Will Be Notified Of Their Application Status Shortly After The Deadline VIA Email. 

Location:

PRIZE MONEY

First Place - $5,000
Second Place - $2,000
Third Place - $1,500

ELIGIBILITY

  • Open to undergraduate,graduate, and doctorate students.
  • Open only to enrolled college and university students of Florida.
  • Applicants are required to submit an application and attach the required documents, additional information might be requested.

2026 Innovation Focus Areas

  • Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
  • Telemedicine & Hybrid Care
  • Remote Patient Monitoring
  • Wearable & Connected Health Tech
  • Health Data & Interoperability
  • Personalized & Preventive Medicine
  • Healthcare Operations & Cost Efficiency
  • Health Equity & Access Solutions
  • Cybersecurity & Data Protection
  • Digital Health Platforms
  • Open Innovation in Healthcare

 

Florida Blue Group Photo

2024 Winners:

  • First Place- Rachel Chapman with EyeSentry
  • Second Place- Kiram Harrison with Cervicare Endoscopic
  • Third Place- Sophia Alonso with FlexiFlowOptic
  • Special Reward- Adri Fidani with ILIRIA

2023 Winners: 

  • First Place- Sarah Schellhase with MediTrack Geo 
  • Second Place- Aashi Faldu with Eufinity Wellness.  
  • Third Place- Dang Nguyen with Niura                      
  • Special Reward - Sabrina Huff with Brees Boxes.   

2022 WINNERS:

  • First Place - Siegrid Pregartner with Janus Altimezier's Diagnosis

  • Second Place - Mitchell Harrah with Baldr Medical

  • Third Place - Marissa MengelKoch with Traffic Trigger

  • Judges' Choice - Frank Nunez with MindBox

  • President's Award - Brandon Dutkiewicz with SupportaTroop

This program is administered by the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship. 

For more information, please email: entrepreneurship@usf.edu